A Mate's Spell
by Kina OrangeTiger-Chan
Summary: "Sorry, I thought I could do it – you know, act normal… I can't." "Yeah," Salamander agreed. "You really care for her, huh?" "Wow, you really are stupid," Redfox rolled his eyes. "Of course I do. But what does it matter to you, anyway?" Natsu smiled lightly, too worried over Lucy to get angry. "We'll find them, don't worry!" "Yeah," Gajeel nodded.
1. Keys, Books and Brains

**A Fairy Tail Fanfic: A Mate's Spell.**

**Chapter 1: Keys, Books and Brains.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or any of its wonderful characters, I only own the rights to this story.**

**Thanks to my sister (fairytailsbluepanda) for encouraging me to write this story.**

**Warning: Although this story is rated T there will be scenes later on that are boarder M. Not for naughty stuff, just nudity and a slightly torturous scene... I won't go into detail or anything, I just thought I should warn you guys.**

**Happy Reading!~**

* * *

The two mages were sat in a booth in the middle of the guild, all around them were fellow magicians and noise, commotion and laughter – another day at Fairy Tail.

"He's late," grumbled the short, hazel-eyed teen. Her gaze was locked on the large guild doors which sat open, revealing the street outside. Her blue hair was pulled back from her face just as it always was but she'd gone to the trouble of wearing a new outfit which consisted of a blue, short sleeves shirt with orange trimming and a black skirt, held up by a thick black belt. Her dear friend, Lucy, had helped her to pick it out in the hopes of catching a certain person's eye.

"Don't worry," Lucy smiled as she ran her right hand through her blonde locks, exposing her pink Fairy Tail insignia to the world. "I'm sure he's coming, Natsu promised he'd bring him at noon and it's only just turned twelve now."

The Celestial Spirit mage's eyes always lit up at his name – Natsu. The two had been dating for a number of month since the whole fiasco with the Dragons and the Grand Magic Games, and she had now made it her mission to assist Levy in her love-life. She was grateful for the help, alone Levy was sure to chicken out of ever making a move, and she was glad to see her best friend so happy, although, that didn't stop her from being envious.

With a nod, Levy took another sip of her drink before resting the mug back on the wooden table. Just as she did a familiar blue Exceed shot into the hall, his white wings fully extended as he drifted down and landed on the table. "Happy!" Lucy exclaimed with a bright smile. "Are they coming?"

"Aye!" Grinned the feline, his eyes shifting from Lucy to Levy. "Natsu is bringing Gajeel, just like you asked!"

The Script Mage couldn't contain the gentle blush that captivated her cheeks. "Th-thank you, Happy." She spoke in a whisper as her gaze fell to her knees where her hands lay. "I'll thank Natsu, too."

With a small step, Happy turned back to Lucy, his grin shifting to a sly smirk. "She liiiiiikes him," the word rolled of his tongue with a smug satisfaction. Levy didn't protest, though her face did grow redder, and Lucy simply smiled knowingly.

Not much time passed before the two Dragon Slayers stood in the doorway with Lily floating above their heads. Lucy turned and waved to her boyfriend, beckoning him to come over. Once her caught sight of the busty mage his face broke out into a grin and he ran over, yelling at Gajeel to follow. The pink haired teen quickly darted into the booth opposite Levy and landed a happy kiss on his girlfriend's cheek. The two grinned at each other before locking hands and Lucy whispered her thanks in Natsu's ear.

Lily was next to join the gang as he landed on the table with a fluttering grace. "Levy," his voice was deep but smooth, caring thick in his tone. She looked up at his adorable, rounded face and smiled. That seemed to satisfy the black Exceed as he padded over to Happy who had whipped out a fish and begun munching on it contently.

"Hey, Shrimp, move over."

Levy jumped slightly as she looked up to see the tall, muscular man who sent her heart racing frantically. Without a word she shuffled over, giving the Dragon Slayer as much room as he needed to sit down comfortably. Silence quickly fell between the two and she couldn't help but fidget under its awkward weight. "So," she said, glad her voice wasn't as shaky as she'd thought it would be, "you went on a job, huh? How'd it go?" The question reminded her of another thing – she was supposed to be angry at him for going without her!

Gajeel shrugged as he looked around for Mira, wishing to make an order. "It was fine, boring really, but it helped pay the rent."

"You could have let me go with you, I'd of let you keep the money." She spoke smoothly and could feel the discomfort leaving the atmosphere as things settled into their natural flow.

"Eh," he simply shrugged again. "I'll let you tag along on the next one. You probably need to pay rent for your room in that Fairy Hills place, right?"

Levy nodded, "Yeah, I do."

"I have an idea!" Lucy beamed, breaking off from her and Natsu's love-dovey exchange of words. "Why don't we all do a job together? Just the four of us! I need some rent money, too, so it works out."

The Script Mage smiled to her friend, it wasn't what she'd had in mind but it was a good idea. "Yeah," she beamed. "What do you say, Gajeel?"

The two Dragon Slayers exchanged a glare which expressed their displeasure at the thoughts of teaming up. "Why should I team up with Salamander?"

Levy quickly cut in before Natsu could start a brawl, "Hey! That's not nice, it'll be fun to go with them. I've never gone on a job with Lucy before."

"Then go on a job with her, you don't need to drag us alone," the Iron Dragon grumbled, his head fully turned away as he waved to Mira.

Levy glared at him for several minutes, her eyes locked on the back of his head. When he showed no sign of taking it back she huffed, standing to her feet with a stomp before gliding out from behind the table and grabbing her friend's wrist. "Fine, I will! Let's go, Lucy."

"Wait, what? O-okay…"

The teen could feel the gaze of her friend on her back as she pulled her over to the request board, along with the eyes of Natsu, Happy and Lily as they watched the two girls walk away from the table.

* * *

"Wow, you're a real jerk, you know that, Metal-head?" Natsu said in a flat tone as he rested his chin in his palm. His black eyes were focused solely on the back of his beloved Lucy.

Gajeel's head snapped around, his glare sharp as he slapped his hands against the table. "What did you say?"

"I said you're a jerk."

Before the Iron Dragon could begin a fight with the Flame-brain he was interrupted by his Exceed companion who stood in front of him. "Gajeel, I do believe Levy wished to go on a job with you."

The Dragon's eyes fell to the black cat, his anger soothing ever so slightly as Natsu fell from his vision. "So? She seemed happy enough to go on a mission with the Cheerleader."

"Yeah," Natsu cut in, "and now I have to spend God-knows how long away from my Lucy! Jerk!"

A low growl emitted from Gajeel's lips, "You weren't exactly jumping at the chance to take the mission." The two butted heads and Lily sighed, quickly retreating as he allowed the two Dragons to fight it out.

* * *

Lucy looked to her friend who stared at the request board with such intensity that her brows furrowed until they almost touched. "Are you sure about this?"

"Yes!" Levy snapped as she grabbed a sheet of paper from the board. "Let's do this one and show them we don't need those guys!"

The blonde teen hesitated a moment from taking the request from her friend and quickly scanned its content. Her eyes narrowed on the reward which was for 150,000 jewels! Lucy's eyes widened for a moment, a rush of excitement running through her. Split two ways that was 75thousand each and would easily cover her rent. However she forced herself to remain calm and continued to read the rest of the details. It was a simple request to save a village from a group of bandits and thieves that had been plaguing them for some time. "I'm not sure," she pondered out loud. "I've never done this kind of job without Natsu, Gray and Erza with me. Are you sure we can take on a big group of bandits by ourselves?"

Levy nodded, a spark of determination in her eyes. Even though she didn't say it out loud, Levy was wondering if they should ask someone to join them. Her first thought was for Erza but she'd already left several days before on an S-class job in order to cover her many hundred thousand jewels of rent. "We just have to be tactical!"

She could see the doubt thick in Lucy's expression so she took a step closer, resting her hands on Lucy's shoulders as she spoke. "We can do this, Lucy. Don't you want to prove you're a capable mage?" She knew the tactic was a little underhanded and played to Lucy's desire to prove she was strong without Natsu by her side, but it was true. It would yet again prove that the two girls could hold their own against any foe.

"Alright!" Lucy nodded her agreement as she handed back the request. "But is it okay for you? It's only seventy-five each, isn't your rent one hundred?"

Levy smiled as she took the paper and walked over to the bar, preparing to inform Mira that they'd decided on a job. "Yeah, it's fine. I have most of it already, I just need an extra twenty to make it. It'll give me some breathing room for next month, too."

"I should say," Lucy's tone had softened and sounded a little more at ease as she followed Levy over to the bar. "Fifty-five jewels will be plenty to live on as long as you don't spend it all on books."

The two laughed happily as Mira walked over to them, her gentle smile ever present on her face. "Hello, you two. Not going with Gajeel or Natsu?"

It was Levy who chose to reply as her eyes darted over to the table where the four of them had sat not long before. There was no peace any more as the two Dragons had begun a brawl. "Not this time, we're going to do it all on our own."

"Good for you," she took the slip of paper from them and gave it a quick look over before handing it back and nodding her consent. "Take care."

"We will!" The two said together before heading towards the door as Levy tucked the request away in her belt. "Hey, Lucy, why don't we get ourselves ready and then meet back here? I'm sure you want to say goodbye to Natsu before you go."

The blonde nodded her thanks before heading off towards her apartment while Levy waved and went in the opposite direction, towards Fairy Hills.

* * *

"He didn't even notice, stupid Gajeel!" Levy puffed as she let her skirt fall to the floor, quickly followed by her shirt. Left in just her underwear, the small girl walked over to her mirror. The glass was tall and allowed her to see her full body, the frame was simple wood but she'd added decorative doodles on it over the years so it held a certain charm about it.

She examined herself thoroughly, from her wavy blue hair all the way down to her toes. Levy's eyes trailed over her frustratingly small bust and curved hips, before she turned and stared proudly at the white Fairy Tail mark on her left shoulder blade. "Am I so repulsive he can't even look at me? Do I hold no appeal for him…?" With a sigh she shook her head and stepped back over to the bed where her orange dress was laid out. She quickly pulled it on, hooking the white fabric around her neck and zipping it up at the back before she pulled on her matching arm bands, enjoying the tickle of her wrists as the fabric brushed against her skin. In one swift movement she scooped up her bag and flung it over her head, resting the strap on her shoulder before returning to the mirror where she stood, hands on hips, legs open slightly, staring at herself in triumph. "Forget him! I don't need him to go on a mission, I was a capable mage before he came and I still am one now. So what if he doesn't look at me romantically? Life isn't one of my novels… it's fine! I don't need that idiot." She told herself aloud, attempting to raise her spirits and force away all her bad thoughts.

With herself feeling ready to take on the mission she headed out of the apartment, sliding her flat, red sandals on before heading down the hallway and exited the door as quickly as she could. The day was bright, the sun high and the sky a beautiful shade of blue, there were few clouds about and the air was filled with tangible warmth which helped to strengthen the Script Mage as she headed back towards the Guild Hall, following the winding path down the hill.

The walk didn't take more than fifteen minutes but Levy didn't rush, taking one step at a time as she enjoyed the summer day. When she arrived back at the Guild there was almost no difference than when she'd left. Gray sat with Cana, chatting about various things at the bar while Juvia hid behind a nearby pillar, staring intensely at her precious Gray-sama. Natsu was sat at a nearby booth with Lucy by his side and Happy sat on the table. He had his arm draped around her shoulders as he grinned like a completely love-sick Dragon. Mira was walking back and forth between her two siblings – who sat with Wendy and Carla – and various other members who called out to her.

Levy's eyes naturally found their way over to the Iron Dragon who sat in the right hand corner, a bored and disgruntled look on his face as he stared into space. Lily was with him, drinking out of a small cup as the two exchanged polite conversation.

A gentle breeze blew into the hall from behind the blue haired teen, it carried her scent over to the Iron Dragon. His nose twitched as he trailed off mid-sentence, sucking in the fresh yet slightly musty scent of Levy McGarden. She smelled of spring thanks to her shampoo but her natural scent was that of books, the old smell which lingered in a library - neither an unpleasant smell nor a particularly thick one. It was gentle to the nostrils, warm and familiar as Gajeel inhaled it, his eyes drifting over to the entrance where the shrimp stood.

She held his gaze for a moment but as a smirk snaked onto his face she snapped her eyes away and started off to her partner who sat with her boyfriend - Salamander.

"Humph," Gajeel grumbled as he slouched back, an immature pout held his lips as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Stupid Shrimp, does she think she has something to prove or what!? I thought she was smart..."

"Gajeel," Lily set his cup down and looked at the Dragon sternly. "Could it be you hold special feelings toward Levy?"

"What!?" He snapped, pink flushing his cheeks as he bolted up right. "Wh-what the heck are you talking about!?"

"Levy-chan!" Jet and Droy's voices cut through the air and captivated Gajeel's attention as they stared at the Script Mage. "Why didn't you tell us you're going in a mission? Please take us with you... For the sake of Team Shadow Gear!" Their voices sparked annoyance in the Dragon as he watched them fawn over the Shrimp.

"Levy-chan," Droy pleaded, "why would you take such a job on your own?"

"I'm not taking it on my own, Lu-chan will be with me!" She retorted.

Gajeel's eyes remained transfixed on the scene as he pondered aloud, "What kind of job are they taking?"

Lily followed his gaze before smiling gently and taking another sip of his drink before replying. "I heard they took the bandit job - the one for 150,000 jewels."

"What!?" Gajeel yelled as his focus turned on the Exceed. "There's no way the Princess and the Shrimp can take on such a dangerous job!"

Lily continued to smile even under the Iron Dragon's gaze. "I don't think it wise to underestimate those two."

"Pfft, whatever... It's not like I even care..." Uncomfortably he rested back in his seat, forcing his red eyes to remain away from the girls as he fixated his gaze on a knot in the wood of the table. He followed the spiralling lines, unwilling to look up – as if that would be admitting something he thought best to hide.

"Jet, Droy!" Levy's voice was annoyed but spoke without anger as she smiled at her fellow members of Team Shadow Gear. "It's alright, me and Lu-chan will be find, please don't worry." With a sweet and gentle smile on her lush lips she turned her gaze to her best friend and current partner. "Are you ready?"

Lucy looked at the three and giggled lightly before nodding. With red cheeks she turned and shared a tender kiss with Natsu before standing up and clasping her hand around the handle of her trolley bag. "We'll be back in about a week, okay?"

The Fire Dragon Slayer nodded sadly, a pout clearly defining his features as his eyes followed the blonde teen. "See ya, Luc. I love you."

With an apologetic smile she bent over and gave him another quick kiss before straightening up, "I love you, too. Take care of him, Happy."

"Aye sir!"

Levy had lost focus as her eyes drifting over to the corner where Gajeel sat. She silently cursed herself but found it impossible to look away. He was wearing the bandana she'd given him around his forehead helping to hold back his mane of black hair. Her hazel eyes followed his locks down his back, enjoying the subtle wave and strong flicks as some broke away over his shoulder. He was wearing the same outfit as he always did, exposing his muscular and scarred arms to the world. Her eyes took a moment to rest on each and every one of his iron piercings before she noticed intoxicating red eyes were glued to the table.

"Are you ready?" Lucy's voice pulled her attention back, withdrawing herself from the trance he'd caused.

Levy smiled and nodded, taking hold of the blonde's arm and leading her out of the hall. "Bye bye!" She waved and Lucy quickly copied as everyone – apart from Gajeel – waved to them, even Gray and a very drunk Cana. However just as the hazel eyed Script Mage released her friend's wrist she was startled by the sudden appearance of the scared Exceed. "Lily!" She gasped as he landed in front of them.

"Levy, please do not go on this job without a clear head." His voice was soothing but Levy thought there was a sound of annoyance to it as if he wished he wasn't there – which he did. Pantherlily wished it were Gajeel saying this and not himself. "Might I accompany you?"

Lucy looked at her friend expectantly and watched carefully as she bent down and picked up the feline. "Lily, thank you, but I need to do this, okay? We can take care of ourselves." The Celestial Spirit Mage eyed her friend carefully, unsure of what she meant.

_Does she think she has to prove herself to Gajeel? ..._ And instantly she knew she was right. This was Levy's way of showing the Iron Dragon Slayer she was just as capable of going on a job without him, as he was without her. And with that in mind Lucy found herself filled with confidence, not in herself but in Levy. "Yeah, we'll be fine! Us Fairy Tail girls are stronger than we look."

"Right," Levy looked over her shoulder at Lu-chan and smiled, gratefulness thick in her hazel eyes. She quickly mouthed two words; _thank you_, before turning back to Lily and giving his small form a hug. "We'll be back as soon as we can, don't worry!" And with that said she set down the Exceed, straightened up, and then began walking alongside her partner and friend, heading towards Clover Town.

* * *

**_A/N: I'm sure you're thinking, "Not another story!" but I really can't help myself... It's an addiction or something. I won't be prolonging it, though, I hope I don't cut it too short, either. It's just a small story, I was going to do it as a one-shot but it seemed MEGA long so I divided it up. I'm sorry if I fail to stick to characters, I do try but... We all fail at that sometimes~_**

_**If there are any sections you feel I should expand upon or would like more detail about - please do tell me! I'll try and improve the work. I know I don't go all big on detail in this particular fanfic but I was more attempting to get the story done rather than giving myself another one to work on. If anybody wants me to then I guess I might come back at some point and expand upon this short story, if not I'll probably just leave it as it is~**_

**_HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE CHAPTER, MORE SHALL BE WITH YOU SHORTLY. _**

_Writers live for their reviews._


	2. A New Partnership

**A Fairy Tail Fanfic: A Mate's Spell.**

**Chapter 2: A new Partnership.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or any of its wonderful characters, I only own the rights to this story.**

* * *

The two girls had taken a train all the way to Clover Town, enduring an agonisingly long trip before arriving at the station. The lights were dimming, the sun readying for sleep as the moon began to rise, evening was fast approaching and their stomachs were empty.

"Let's get booked into a hotel and then find a place to eat," Levy said as she pulled a map from her red bag. "It's better we have a place to sleep rather than stuff our faces and end up on the streets." As if to argue against her words, the small girl's stomach made a loud gargling sound. With an awkward laugh she brushed it off, sincerely wishing she hadn't gotten so distracted by Gajeel that she'd forgotten to eat.

The two headed into town, following the main road until they came to a tall building labelled _Denvor's B&B_. Without complaint the two walked in, headed straight to the front desk and made their bookings. Unfortunately they only had a single room left but thankfully it a twin room. "We'll take it," Lucy cut in, unable to resist the aching hunger. They were then led to a room on the second floor and handed two keys. They thanked the kind man and walked in, setting their bags down and quickly surveyed the accommodation.

The room was spacy, two beds and opposite ends of the left wall, either sides of a large window. A door resting in the far right wall which led to a clean, tidy bathroom with a shower, toilet, sink and bath. The rest of the room was fairly basic, a desk sat in the corner of the room opposite a small set of table and chairs – though it did have a rather nice blue decorative rug on the floor. The walls were painted a neutral cream while the curtains were a soft pink with a soft blue floral pattern.

"Not bad, I've stayed in worse." Lucy commented while Levy dug around in her bag and pulled out a small zip up, plastic baggy filled with her toiletries.

Once she'd placed it in the bathroom she came out and headed straight over to the door, key in hand. "Let's go, Lu-chan! I'm starving."

"Me too!" Lucy happily followed her out of the room, leaving her bag inside. She stood by patiently as Levy locked the door and then followed the smaller female down the stairs, across the lobby and out into the street.

Clover town was a rather small town situated in a mountainous area, surrounded by forests. So, it was no big surprise that they were having some issues with bandits, in fact, the evidence was around of their presence everywhere they looked. People skirted inside, worried looks etched into their eyes as they locked and bolted their doors shut. There were no women out alone and vandalism was present on most solid buildings.

Keeping their heads down the two mages headed out, setting sail for a well-known café that Mira had earlier suggested to Lucy.

* * *

The two ate and talked about various things including the rumour going around the guild that Gray had finally given into Juvia and her slightly psychopathic tendencies.

"Really?" Levy asked in shock, "he seemed to be getting pretty close to Cana last I looked."

Lucy nodded, a sly smirk on her lips as she set her tea down. "You know Gray, he's just trying to hide the fact and act normal but Natsu caught them together outside of Gray's apartment."

"No way!" The Script mage giggled, leaning in closer as her excitement grew. "Wait, why was Natsu there anyway?"

"Oh, you know…" Lucy shrugged as her eyes filled with the same love and care they always did at the sound of his name. "He went on one of his usual quests to fight Gray." Levy nodded her understanding and took another sip of her tea.

The two continued to talk in their usual gossipy manner before heading back to the hotel. It was getting dark so the two kept their wits about them but the hazel eyed teen couldn't help but notice all the missing persons posters pinned up. Her face saddened at the thought of families missing their loved ones.

Without any trouble the girls got to their lodging and Lucy headed straight for the shower while Levy sat on her designated bed with a book on tactics. If they were to take on bandits she wanted to be well prepared for as many eventualities as she possibly could.

After twenty minutes Lucy came out of the shower wrapped in a towel and allowed Levy time to bathe. She did so happily, enjoying the warmth of the water and refreshing feeling it gave her as it washed over her skin.

Once the two were finished with the bathroom they laid in bed and chatted some more, mostly about Lucy's novel, until their hair had dried. They then decided to sleep since it was late and they would need to be well rested for their mission.

* * *

Levy spent the night dreaming of only one person – Gajeel. His long black hair, his piercing red eyes, his muscular body, even his deep and comforting voice, she could clearly remember all of it in her sleep. However when she woke she failed to remember what exactly had occurred in her dream, only that he had been present in it.

With a sigh her eyes gazed over at Lucy who was still fast asleep, hugging her rolled up covers as she buried her face into its softness. With a smile the small teen climbed out of bed and visited the toilet before getting dressed. When she had her usual orange dress hugging her slender figure she opened the blinds and looked out at the street below.

People passed by happily, clearly contented by the bright morning and lack of wandering bandits. Levy quickly examined the sky and her bright mood was dampened. Even though the sun was shining there were clouds rolling in and by her estimation they would have rain by noon.

"Lu-chan, come on, wake up. We need to go to the customer's house good and early so we can start with the mission." She gave her friend a gentle shake, slowly pulling her back to consciousness. The blonde looked up, blinking her sleepy eyes as she released a yawn.

"Morning Levy."

"Good morning to you, too, Sleeping Beauty." The Bookworm joked.

Lucy visited the bathroom and then re-emerged a few minutes later looking more alert than when she'd gone in. The two sorted themselves in relative silence, only speaking when something needed to be said or asked, and within an hour the two were ready to set out on their mission. Lucy had her keys, Levy had her wits, and the two were more than ready to face the challenge.

They headed out in high spirits and went to a small bakery, bought some food and set out towards the address given on the request. The two ate as they walked and shared pleasantries as they went. Lucy was more than happy to share the dream that she'd experienced, going into great detail about the fact that she'd caught Leo and Virgo together doing R-rated things. Levy found it amusing that her friend would have such a perverted dream about her spirits and they joked about it until they arrived at their destination.

They came to a stop in front of a rather large house, two stories high and it had two windows either side of a lavish wooden door. The garden was well kept and vast in size, covering almost twice the area that the house did. Levy thought it was both grand and wonderful but also a little over the top and noted that the owners liked to display their wealth and therefor their power.

Lucy knocked boldly on the door with three firm strikes against the oak panel and after a short pause a women answered the door. She was only an inch or so taller than Levy and was just as slender, she wore an apron on top of an ankle-long, plain cream dress. The woman looked to be no older than thirty and she had a very obvious beauty about her long black hair and lush pink lips. "How may I help you?"

"We're the mages from Fairy Tail," Lucy said with a smile as she held up her right hand, displaying her insignia. Levy nodded and held up the request to display their authenticity. "Are you the lady of the house?"

"Oh, goodness! No, I'm the maid here," the woman said as she opened the door wider and ushered the two inside. "My name is Jefine. I shall take you to my master, he has been expecting you."

The two girls shared a look and then held firm to their smiles as they followed the woman inside, climbing up a spiral staircase until they were led into an old library where an old man sat by a fire, smoking a pipe. Levy's eyes instantly lit up as she examined all of the volumes which filled the many bookcases.

"These two young ladies are from the guild, sir," said Jefine with a bow.

Her master wafted her away and they watched as she exited the room. "Sorry about her," the old man said in a gruff tone as he set down a book and got to his feet. He held the pipe between his teeth as he stroked his long, white beard in contemplation. "You two look awfully young – and rather too pretty – to be wizards."

"We more than capable for the task," assured the Celestial mage. "I'm Lucy and this is my friend Levy." Levy waved shyly as she averted her gaze from all of the wonderful manuscripts that surrounded them.

"I am Ermal," he said as he released a lungful of smoke, adding to the already thick smell of tobacco. "I suppose you already know of the job from the request, but I'd like you to deal with the bandits that keep ransacking this town. They've been taking people as well as our products, we can't afford to lose much more, not with winter coming."

"Are you the mayor of the town or something?" Levy asked with a curious smile.

Ermal shook his head, "No, I am not. But I'm the only one who can afford to pay for your services."

"I see," Lucy nodded. "Well then, we'll get right to work! Don't worry about a thing!"

"Very well then, I shall leave it to you two young ladies." And with that their conference was over. The two gave their respects and left the grand house, waving goodbye to Jefine as they left. They remained quiet for a while as they headed further out of town, drawing closer to the surrounding forests.

"Urm, Levy?" Lucy said in a worried tone. "Why are we going closer and closer to the forest where the bandits are most likely staying?"

"Don't worry, Lucy." Levy smiled. "I'm just going to set up some runes to alert us if any bandits enter into the town so we can deal with them right away. I don't want to be caught unawares while we sleep or anything like that."

"Good idea!"

The bookworm was glad for all of the time she'd spend getting familiar with Freed's magic because this wasn't the first time it had proved useful to her. The two girls stopped as the trees began to overrun the land rather than houses and Levy got to work, she pulled out some pages with notes on them for reference and began writing the runes to her specifications. Lucy stood guard and kept her eyes sharp, examining every tree, each blade of grass, and the bushes – making sure to note every shadow they provided.

Levy worked hard but since she wasn't accustomed to writing her own runes the spell took time and before they knew it rain was upon them, soaking their hair, clothes and skin while also dampening their vision. The surrounding forest grew gloomy and almost completely hidden in shadows.

"I don't like this," Lucy said in a shaky tone as she withdrew Fleuve d'étoiles, holding onto its cylindrical base tightly. "Levy, how much longer?"

"A few minutes," she replied, "I'm working as quickly as I can."

"I know, sorry," the Celestial mage said as she turned swiftly, reacting to a cracking noise. "Levy, I think they're here…"

Levy's hazel eyes looked up for a moment and she gave a slight nod before ducking right back to work, writing as fast as her hand would allow her. "Summon Sagittarius if you think they're coming, he'll be able to react to any oncoming enemies."

Lucy nodded and withdrew the correct key, holding it tightly as she surveyed their surroundings. With the thick clouds rolling in it was growing harder and harder to see as the wind grew stronger and the rain grew heavier. The mage squinty as she noticed movement, jumping as a ball of magic fired straight past her.

"Damn, I missed!" A male voice cursed.

"Lucy!" Levy gasped as she tackled her friend out of the way of another magical bullet. "Damn it, I didn't say their magic couldn't cross!" Levy quickly crawled away, returning to her notes. "Can I leave them to you?"

"Y-yeah!" Lucy reclaimed her whip which had slipped from her grasp and funnelled her magic through it allowing a long blue and yellow line to extend from its base. "Gate of the Archer, I open thee! Sagittarius!" In an explosion of magical power the spirit appeared, clad in a horse outfit, clashing a bow already strung and an arrow prepared to fire.

"You called? Moshimoshi."

"Sagittarius, fire in the direction the blasts come from, I'll handle the shots themselves!"

"Roger," he replied as he pulled the arrow back, straining the string of his bow.

Lucy jumped in front of her spirit as another shot was fired, pulling her whip around as she met the bullet with the rope of her Fleuve d'étoiles. The compacted water splashed as the two magical objects met but she was glad to see that their power cancelled each other out and there was nothing left of the bullet. "Sagittarius!"

Without a word the archer fired his arrow and sent it flying in the direction the enemy had fired from. As he did Lucy funnelled more of her magic through her weapon, creating more of the magical rope.

A howl filled the air as the arrow made contact with its targets flesh and moments after the air filled with the enemy's fire. Lucy was able to keep up for only a short while but was soon overwhelmed by their forces and was hit on her right thigh with a cannon ball shot. She gasped and fell to her knees, gritting her teeth against the pain.

"Lucy-sama!" Sagittarius gasped in horror as he let his arrows fly. Their opponents had come into view but there were still some shooters who stayed back.

Another flurry of shots were fired and Lucy flinched away, awaiting the pain that came with being pierced by a magical bullet.

"Iron!" Levy yelled as a large block of iron fell in front of her friend, shielding her from the blasts.

"Th-thanks!" Lucy smiled as she gripped at her leg. Levy nodded and quickly returned to her runes where she scribbled one last line and straightened with a pleased look. "Sagittarius, take your time! Their magic won't get in anymore."

"You finished!" Lucy beamed. Levy nodded but didn't take the time to revel in her achievement. She quickly stepped over to her friend and dug into her red bag, pulling out some bandages.

"Here, I'll help him. Can you sort it yourself?"

Lucy nodded and ushered Levy on.

Jumping to her feet the Script mage dug into her magical reserves and began her spell casting. "Fire!" She yelled as the word appeared, dancing in brilliant flames as it sped towards their opponents. The two sides exchanged magical blows for several minutes until it appeared they ran out of bullets and began charging at the barrier. Unable to fire at people so close for fear of killing them, Levy and the Archer backed off, helping Lucy to her feet as they left them to slam their bodies against the runes.

"So," a tall, muscular man said with a smug grin. "We can't get in."

"That's right." Levy replied cautiously.

"But what about people already inside?"

Levy gasped as she turned, her eyes widening as they fell on several strong men holding magical weapons. She noticed the marks on their bodies, the same that were on many of the bandits – these men were not allies. Her attention was torn from the men as Lucy called out to her spirit. "Sagittarius!" Levy turned to see the spirit fade in a shimmer of light.

"No…" In a swift movement she lowered her friend to the floor and turned to meet her enemy with a furrowed brow. "Hole!" The word extended from her finger tips and covered the ground allowing her enemies to fall into the muddy earth.

The men continued to pound against the runes behind her, leaving Levy with no other option but to fight. "It wasn't supposed to go like this!" She cried as she sent fire hurtling towards the oncoming men. "I'm sorry, Lucy…"

"Levy!" Her friend gasped as a man grasped a hold of her ankle, dragging her down into the hole along with them. "Open gate of the maiden! Virgo! Save Levy!"

The pink haired spirit drilled into the ground the instant she was called upon, not wasting time with any joked of punishment. She came out into the magically made hole to see Levy being tugged at and punched by the surrounding men. Her eyes narrowed on her target as she slapped her hand on one of the enemy's head, jumping over him and landing a swift kick on another's face. The distraction proved enough for their attention to wander and allowed Virgo to pick up the small Script mage. However, as she went to jump from the pit her right wrist chain was grasped and the two were dragged back down.

Virgo received a magical infused punch which rammed straight through her gut, sending her back to the Spirt World. Levy sustained many blows as she cried out for help, begging for them to stop as they ripped at her clothes. She wasn't sure of the extend of their damage because before long she gave in and her body fell into the abyss of unconsciousness.

* * *

_Writers live for their reviews._


	3. Boys Day Out

**A Fairy Tail Fanfic: A Mate's Spell.**

**Chapter three: Boys Day Out.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or any of its wonderful characters, I only own the rights to this story.**

* * *

"Quit bugging me, Salamander!" Gajeel growled as he stomped out of the guild hall. It had only been twenty-four hours since the guy's girlfriend had gone off with the shrimp and he was already on at the Iron Dragon about going after them. "I thought you said your Princess could look after herself?"

"She can!" The Pyro protested with a childish pout. "But that doesn't mean I don't worry about her. Aren't you worried about Levy…? I've seen the way you look at her and it's obvious you…"

"I what!?" Gajeel snapped as he whirled around to stare at Natsu. "No, I'm not worried about that Shrimp! Now, leave. Me. Alone." He proceeded to storm back into the guild hall and slam his fist against the bar as he demanded beer. No matter how much he lied to the others he couldn't deny that his gut was in a knot with concern.

All he could think about was the Bookworm and her slender body. He hadn't slept well thanks to a nightmare about her – more specifically her laying on the floor beaten and bloody. Just remembering it made him want to be sick.

_To think, I actually hurt her!_ Just the thought made his eyes lower and the irritation fade. _That's right, I hurt her back then… No matter how much I want to, I don't have the right to care for her… But I can't let her get hurt, not again…_ He recalled the time he'd pinned up her limp body and drawn Phantom's sign on her stomach but he quickly flinched away from the memory.

No matter how many times he told himself he'd paid for that incident, that Natsu and Laxus had rightfully taken revenge on him, it was still there, ever present in his mind. _I don't deserve her._

There were times when he couldn't help himself and allowed himself small pleasures like dancing with her or taking missions by her side – she'd proven herself to be good support. But the closer he grew and the more his feelings grew, the more he felt the need to pull away. Besides, how could she possibly like – or even love – someone who had hurt her so badly?

He recalled the tender words she'd spoken, she'd claimed not to care about the past, that she only wished to move forward. There were times when he was sucked into that illusion, like when he'd been her partner in the S-class exam… A smile pulled at his lips. He remembered when she'd run off in a huff, pouting about how he was an idiot after having smacked him with her bag – which was far heavier than it looked. He'd almost given into her then… He'd been so close to breaking and simply hugging her close, yet somehow he'd managed to just pat her head and annoy her.

_Man, I really am an idiot._

"Here you go," Mira said as she sat down a jug of beer, pulling Gajeel from his tangled web of thoughts.

He grunted his thanks and lifted the mug to his lips before tipping it up and drinking it down. Just then his dark Exceed drifted over and gave him a concerned look. "Gajeel, you seem to be acting strangely. Are you alright?"

Once he'd finished with the beer he slammed the container against the counter and turned his red eyes on the cat. "I'm fine, geez," he grumbled as he wiped the back of his hand across his mouth. "What are you so worried about?"

"Noth-" Lily was quickly cut off by a loud clap of thunder which rumbled throughout the air. Gajeel watched as a shiver ran through his cat's body. He grumbled against and reached over, patting the feline's head as he rose to his feet.

He wanted to act normal – say something that he usually would. But his thoughts were too clouded with that of Levy. _That dumb mate of mine… _His eyes widened as he realized what he'd called her and he slapped his hands over his face to hide the pink that captivated his cheeks. _She's not my mate, she's just Levy! Shrimp! Bookworm!_

"G-Gajeel?"

Peeking through his fingers the Iron Dragon saw his cat clutching onto his ears, trembling with such tremendous fear that he was sure he was about to pee himself, yet he still managed to worry over the love-sick Dragon. "I'm fine," he straightened up and blew out a deep breath as he attempted to calm his embarrassed face.

"Are you coming, Gajeel?" Natsu called over to him from the doors.

"Are you crazy? There's no way I'm going out in that weather! Stupid Salamander!"

"He's right, Natsu-san," their fellow Dragon Slayer, Wendy, cut in. "You should at least wait until tomorrow, Happy won't be able to fly in that wind."

Natsu pouted but reluctantly agreed as he trudged back over to the seat where their friends sat.

"You seem troubled," his old friend, Juvia, said from beside him.

Gajeel looked over to her, unable to contain the roll in his eyes as he saw her hiding behind a pillar. "Like I keep saying, I'm fine."

"You do not need to lie to Juvia, Gajeel." Her voice was level and calm but completely serious. "I know you worry over Levy."

He sighed deeply and shrugged. "So what if I do? She's so small and weak it's hard not to worry over her, you know?"

"I see," the Rain Woman smiled but nodded contently and left the subject to die.

Gajeel's eyes turned back to Natsu and he did a quick head-count. Gray, Cana, Elfman, Lisanna and Wendy all sat _around_ the table with Carla sat _on_ it next to her Dragon. Happy landed next to the white Exceed and instantly began attempting to offer her a fish, however she declined – as she always did – and her eyes grew wide. Gajeel watched carefully as the cat grew still until not even her tail was twitching. Lily noticed it, too, and quickly extended his wings and glided over to his fellow felines. As he landed on the table the air rang with another thundering growl and he instantly trembled with fear.

Gajeel rolled his eyes, even though he'd gotten the coolest of the Exceeds, he sure was a baby when it came to a little thunder and lightning. The Iron Dragon walked over, slapping his palms down on the wood as he leaned over beside Wendy. "What's up with her?"

"Hm?" Wendy's eyes drifted from him to her cat and then she gasped. "Carla, are you alright?"

"Y-yes," the cat replied but she didn't look at her Dragon, instead she looked to the other two. "As soon as the weather clears, I need to tell you two something… Something important."

"Why not tell us now?" Natsu asked, his eyes suddenly brightening.

"For once," Gajeel sighed, "I agree with the Pyro."

"No," the cat shook her head, unwavering in her decision even with everybody's eyes on her. "I've decided I'll tell you when the storm stops and not before."

The table went silent and the rest of the guild seemed to fall away as Gajeel's head went blank. It was clear the cat had had one of her visions – prophesies… whatever! But why wouldn't she tell them until the weather broke? What was so important about the weather? He shook his head and re-entered his surroundings. "Fine, whatever." He shrugged as he turned away and went straight back to the bar. "Hey, Mira! Another beer over here."

Redfox then proceeded to drink the rest of the day away. He picked a fight with Salamander around mid-afternoon time which ended up in an all-out brawl between the guild members. He enjoyed it for a while and it helped him to forget his troubles. He had his usual meal of scrap metal for dinner along with some meat which filled his belly and helped to cancel the effects of the alcohol.

By his eighteenth beer it was already eight in the evening but thanks to his tolerant body he was able to stay conscious all the way until ten – even though he lost count of his drinks. When he fell unconscious the storm was still going strong.

* * *

_"Gajeel… Gajeel… Gajeel! GAJEEL!"_ Levy's voice was frantic but distant. The smell of her fear filled his nose and seemed to drift around him in a thin trail of blue and orange. His red eyes darted around, examining his surroundings carefully. He was in a library that he didn't recognise – unsure of how he had gotten there or why he was there – there were rows after rows of tall bookcases which would have been Levy's dreamland however the stench of fear which he'd once revelled in clung to every inch of the Bookworm's paradise. Gajeel stepped forward, uncaring of the papers beneath his feet or the books that were scattered across the floor as his nose followed those orange and blue entwined threads.

_"Gajeel!_" As he ducked between two of the shelving units her voice seemed to echo around the room, confusing him of his direction. He turned swiftly but there was no sign of her. With a firm shake of his head, Gajeel continued down the hallway made by the bookcases until he came out on the other side.

He wasn't surprised to see more shelving units, one after another they filled the never-ending room. The threads of scent seemed to snake out in all direction, coating the air in the array of contrasting colours. _"Levy!"_ He called out, unable to contain the terror that swam in his voice. _"Levy, where are you? Levy!"_

He waited for a moment but there was no reply. Unable to think of a better idea he began to walk down the runway of wood, struggling to remain calm as he searched for the Bookworm… _No… My Bookworm! She's mine!_ His thoughts swept into the air as they became a tangible force, carrying him in their honesty and emotions. The distress he felt was proof of it – of the feelings he held for her.

_"I promise, I won't deny it anymore! If you forgive… that's enough! Please… come back! Levy!"_ Never before had Black Steel Gajeel ever felt so weak, so helpless, completely drowning in his distress and possessiveness.

_"Gajeel…"_ The word was smoother off her lips, filled with serenity and care – so much so that he could hear the smile in them.

_"Levy!" _He called out, unable to hide the utter joy that swept through him. He'd begun to run, his legs carrying him towards her, to her side. _"Where are you?"_

_"Right here, you idiot."_ He couldn't see her, in fact, the mixture of orange and blue had become so thick that he couldn't see anything, but he felt her warm arms wrap around his middle as she hugged onto him. He felt her slender body press against his back and he slowed to a stop as he bathed in the tender feeling.

_"Who are you calling an idiot, idiot?"_ He chuckled lightly as his eyes drew to a close. _"I've been worried about you."_

_"Sorry for making you worry… But, I need you…"_

_"Need me? Levy, what's wrong?"_ Her body faded into the misty colours and the Dragon whirled around, unable to see anything. _"Levy? Levy! Where did you go…? Hey, Shrimp! Come back…!"_ His surroundings seemed to fade as black enveloped the bright colours and the floor was yanked from under his feet.

* * *

"Wake up, Gajeel!" Natsu roared as Juvia splashed water on his face, snapping him out of his dream.

Bolting upright Redfox ignored the gentle throb which engulfed his skull and instead jumped to his feet, surveying the empty guild hall as his eyes frantically searched for his Shrimp. "Where is she?" He asked. His breathing came in sharp, gasping puffs as sweat clung to his skin.

"Who is it you're looking for, Gajeel?" Juvia asked in her usual monotone voice.

"Levy! Where is she?" He snapped as he turned back to them, his fists raised as he prepared to fight the enemy – any enemy.

Natsu glared up at him with both a smug and confused look. "So, you are worried about her! I knew it! But she's not here, idiot. We woke you because the storm finally stopped. Carla said she'll tell us what she saw. Apparently she had another vision thingy."

"Prophesy," the cat corrected as she padded into the room followed by Wendy, Happy, Lily and Gray. They'd come in through the back and all seemed to have sleepy expressions on their faces so Gajeel guessed they'd been woken, too.

"What time is it?"

"Four in the morning," Gray grumbled as he scratched his scalp, pulling off his shirt as he did. "That stupid Pyro woke us as soon as the weather cleared."

Gajeel nodded, not bothering to look at the mumbling Salamander. "What are you all doing here?"

"We couldn't get home because of the weather and Carla told us to stay," Wendy said shyly. "Besides, we're worried about Lucy-san and Levy-san."

"That's right," Natsu cut in. "Luc hasn't called in at all! Something's wrong!" He produced a sphere lacrama and placed it on a nearby table with a gentle _thud_. It was one used for communication so Gajeel guessed the couple used them to contact each other when one went out of town.

"I think we should all sit down and have some tea," Carla said in her bossy tone as she walked over to a booth and happily took a seat on the table. "It's best we're woken and calm before we start talking."

Wendy and Gray slipped behind the bar along with Juvia and began making their beverages while the Fire and Iron Dragons took a seat in the booth. Lily and Happy joined them, sitting beside Carla on the table. Natsu lowered his head onto the table and began mumbling about how people were taking too long and everything wasn't fair but Gajeel happily ignored him.

When the others were down they came over with a tray full of cups and two teapots before slipping into the booth opposite the two Dragons. They poured out a cup each and Gajeel quickly chugged it down, gasping slightly at the heat but glad for the calming effect as if helped to quieten his bounding head. He was glad that the hangover wasn't too bad but it was still clearly noticeable to him.

"So," Gray spoke first, acting as the cool voice of reason. "Carla, tell us what you saw."

"Lucy and Levy," she said bluntly as she set down her tea. "They were being held captive in some kind of dungeon."

"What!?" Natsu growled as he jumped to his feet.

"Quieten down, you stupid Pyro!" Gajeel barked as he gave his fellow Dragon Slayer a strong hit to the head. "Let her finish!"

"Yes, thank you, Gajeel." Carla nodded. "They were being held by these men in a place that looked like cells, they were chained up and…" the cat swallowed down the bile that rose in the back of her throat from the memory. "They were being tortured – stripped of their magic so they couldn't fight back."

"Why didn't you tell us as soon as you saw this!?" Natsu roared.

"I had a second vision! If you went in the storm you would have ended up killing yourself and Happy!" She retorted in her defence. "And Lily was hurt, too."

"Lily?" Gajeel asked as he shared a look with his Exceed.

"Yes," Carla nodded again, "after an hour or so you went after them – Lily and you. But Lily's wings were torn off and… it was horrible!"

"It's okay," Wendy soothed as she drew the white cat in for a hug. "You stopped it from happening, it's alright."

"Carla…" Happy said sadly.

"Thank you," Lily added.

"Might Juvia ask, did you see where they were being held?"

Carla shook her head.

"Well," Gray cut in, "Where did their mission send them?"

Gajeel had been too lost in his own thoughts and concerns that he hadn't even thought of where he would be going, he'd only thought of getting there. "Mira will know!" He said as he got to his feet. "Come on, Salamander!"

"Right!" Natsu was right by his side along with Happy and Lily but much to Gajeel's surprise the others followed.

"You don't think you're getting all the fun, do you?" Gray smirked.

Gajeel stopped as he reached for the handle to the doors before he looked around to Wendy and Juvia. "I'm not worried about you so much," he said as his eyes rested on the Rain Woman. "But…" His gaze drifted to his fellow Dragon. "This is dangerous, Wendy. These guys… If they've strung Lucy and Levy up then they're probably perverts… I don't think you should come."

"He's right," Natsu agreed. "You should stay here."

Her brown eyes stared up at them before turning to Gray and Juvia who nodded their agreement. "No!" She protested. "I want to help Lucy-san and Levy-san, too. You don't need to worry about me, I-I can take care of myself." Her arms tightened around her cat and she held their gaze with an unseen strength.

"That's what Lucy and Levy said," Gajeel scoffed. "Fine, if you must come then stay with one of us, don't go off on your own."

Wendy nodded her agreement and then they headed out towards the Strauss residence. There Juvia slipped through a window, allowing her water form to creep under the small cracks and enter unnoticed. Once she'd gathered the information from Mira and relayed it to the rest of the team they set out to Clover Town.

They took the early morning train since they couldn't all fly and the Exceeds all agreed they wouldn't be able to fly all the way. The two Dragons struggled the whole trip, hanging out of a window in case they failed to hold down their stomach content, and cursed the Sky Dragon for being seemingly immune to motion sickness.

The journey came to an end just as the sun came up and they all departed, Gray assisting Natsu and Lily carrying Gajeel. After a small pit stop for them to recover and eat they set out after the two girls that had taken the dangerous mission alone.

* * *

Their first stop was the old man's house but he didn't give them any useful information, just that the girls had visited the day before, so the group of five Fairy Tail mages along with their three Exceeds continued out into the street where they picked up a faint track.

"Hey, Natsu! Come here, I think I smell them." Gajeel yelled as he took off towards the forest, his nose twitching like a demented thing as he led them out towards the treeline. The others followed silently, only calling out when they told him to slow down, however he couldn't. The more time they took the more concerned Gajeel grew for his Bookworm.

He followed the scent out until they came to a small piece of open land which ran out quickly into thickening trees. There were scorch marks all over the place along with a big hole and stray pieces of damp paper left on the ground. Gajeel stepped over to the hole where he caught the smell of Levy and her fear. His eyes widened as he saw shredded pieces of her clothing scattered across the bottom of the pit. "They were here… This is where they were taken."

"Yeah," Natsu agreed, the rage thick in his voice. Gajeel could sympathise, he, too, was enraged. "Those bastards… they're going to pay!"

Grinding his teeth down and bunching his hands into fists Gajeel stepped around the hole and over to the closest tree where he released his frustrations and punched his way through a tree. "Damn it, we were too late!"

"About a day late," Natsu agreed through gritted teeth. "This happened yesterday… We should have come even if the weather was bad!" He turned his narrow eyes on the white feline.

"Shut up," Gray sighed. "Are you forgetting you would've lost Happy if you had?"

Gajeel didn't listen to the surrounding talk as Juvia and Wendy conversed and Natsu yelled at Gray – it was inconsequential. Pacing back and forth along the treeline he sniffed deeply, taking in the fresh scent of the morning and the thick pure scent of a forest after the rain. He could smell Levy's magic but only because she'd used a lot of it – it was growing fainter by the second. He couldn't track it any further and there for the trail was cold. He had no clues where to look next.

"Damn it all!" He growled. "That stupid Shrimp! Why'd she have to take such a hard job?"

"Gajeel," Juvia's voice came from behind him. "It's okay, we'll find them. Look."

Redfox turned to see the Rain Woman pointing at a few faint puddles which led away from the scene. "What?"

"Though they may not look like much, those are washed away foot prints. Juvia can tell where the ground was shielded from the rain, even if it was for a short time. There were many of them which helps."

"That's great!" Gajeel and Natsu beamed together.

"Yeah, well done, Juvia!" Gray's praise brightened the Water Mage's eyes and she quickly got to work showing them the way through the forest. They took on a single line formation with Juvia and Natsu at the front followed by Wendy tucked away in the middle and Gray behind her. Gajeel stuck to the back as his eyes surveyed their surroundings. The Exceeds followed in the air, scouting ahead to see it there were any traps or alarms that they might trigger.

But Gajeel couldn't quite shake the feeling that they were being followed.

* * *

_Writers live for their reviews._


	4. Company

**A Fairy Tail Fanfic: A Mate's Spell.**

**Chapter Four: Company.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or any of its wonderful characters, I only own the rights to this story.**

* * *

Their small group moved swiftly through the trees, fighting their way through any and all living creatures that attempted to slow them down. However, Gajeel kept having the urge to look around, and every time he gave into the urge he was disappointed when he saw nothing. The hairs on the back of his neck were on end and he could sense somebody else's presence but he couldn't smell it, see it or even hear it. The thought crossed his mind that it might be a ghost but then he remembered Mavis and quickly moved past that idea.

"Hey, Gajeel," Gray looked over his shoulder as he spoke.

"What?"

"You seem distracted."

"I am," he mumbled in reply as his red eyes scanned the muddy forest floor. "I got a bad feeling…"

"Hey, I know you're worried about Levy but you've just gotta keep it together." The Ice Mage's words seemed offhand but his tone was soft.

Gajeel glared at him for a moment before sighing. "Where'd your clothes go, Pervert? You know, there are kids around! I should beat your sorry ass up for exposing yourself like that."

"What!?" he gasped as he glanced down at his exposed chest and legs. Gajeel was about to make another snide remark when he heard a faint rustle and a twig snap. He turned sharply, using his magic to shift his hand into an iron club which he fired out in the appropriate direction.

"Gajeel-san!"

"Gajeel! What are you doing?" Natsu barked but was quickly cut off by a loud grunt as the metal pole slammed into someone's gut.

Just as he was about to glance back to Salamander and gloat a tornado shot was fired at them. "Wendy!" He heard Carla gasp as Gray shielded her from the enemies using his ice. Natsu sprang into action and jumped into the surrounding bushes, happily setting the forest alight as Gajeel retracted his pole and reverting his arm back into its original form.

Things happened swiftly from there, Juvia and Gray began working together to shield them all from the oncoming gun attacks while also attacking. Natsu and Gajeel jumped into fights with a small group of the bandits, easily beating their holder magic while sustaining minor injuries. Wendy boosted everybody's strength and used her roar to protect Natsu when he lost his cool. The whole thing was over in less than ten minutes.

"Well, that got boring pretty quick, geehee." Gajeel chuckled as he dropped a grunt to the ground and stepped back over to the other Fairy Tail Wizards, for a moment forgetting why he was really there. He did that a lot when he got into a fight, he got too concentrated on beating his opponent. But his sense quickly came flooding back to him. "Those idiots hid their magic pretty good."

"Juvia thought so, too."

Gajeel surveyed the fallen bodies once more before continuing on, allowing everyone to follow as they pleased. He didn't need Juvia any more, their enemies had left a nice trail for him to follow.

* * *

After many hours of walking the group was forced to stop for the day, unable to continue thanks to depleted light, energy and magic supplies. The two male Dragons agreed begrudgingly to rest though they both knew they would not – could not – sleep. They would only endure restless nightmares of their mates in distress.

So, instead, the two sat on watch as the three mages and Exceeds slept.

"Heh, who thought when we first met that we'd end up helping each other out?" Gajeel said half-heartedly as Natsu helped the fire. They'd stopped in a small crevice in the endless flat forest. It was completely surrounded by green and tall trees, but the ground itself was thick with dust thanks to the warmer weather. Wendy laid together with Juvia and Carla just off to the right of the flames while Gray was tucked away off to the left, as far from the fire as he could get. Happy and Lily were positioned either side of the girls in a rather protective way.

"I certainly didn't," Natsu chuckled to himself. "But once you got over yourself… You're not too bad a guy."

"Got over myself? What's there to get over?! I'm an excellent singer, strongest Wizard and good lucking – better than you at least."

"Why you…" Natsu growled but Gajeel quickly waved him off.

"Sorry, I thought I could do it – you know, act normal… I can't."

"Yeah," Salamander agreed. "You really care for her, huh?"

"Wow, you really are stupid," Redfox rolled his eyes. "Of course I do. I mean, since I joined the Guild I've wanted to protect her and try to make up for what I did but perhaps I've always been more protective of her, I mean... I beat Lucy up pretty bad, too, and I've never thought to protect her. The again, Blondie's got you so it's not like she needs another Dragon. Anyway, ever since that S-class exam, it's been different… But what does it matter to you, anyway?" He said defensively.

Natsu smiled lightly, too worried over Lucy to get angry. "We'll find them, don't worry!"

"Yeah," Gajeel nodded.

The two continued to talk about their missing mates and Gajeel quickly realised that he hadn't actually asked Levy out yet he'd already begun talking so possessively about her. The conversation drifted and eventually went out just like the campfire.

The two Dragons fell asleep for a while but were woken up after only a few hours by Gray and Lily. They were unsure of the time and happily fought with each other over their having failed to remain awake. Once they'd settled the dispute they proceeded to wake the rest of the group up and have breakfast – at least Wendy and Juvia had thought ahead and bought extra bread the day before.

Once they'd eaten and accepted nature's call they continued on in their mission.

* * *

"Lucy?" Levy called out as she heard a friend's scream echo throughout the cellar where they were being held along with several other women. The men had converted it into a kind of dungeon where they kept the people they'd kidnapped. Levy recognised some faces from the missing posters.

She'd awoken chained to the wall, her hands suspended outstretched and above her head. Her toes were unable to reach the floor thanks to her lack in height and the strain was beginning to hurt uncontrollably. She was naked and cold, her hair hung loosely around her face in a tangled array of waves.

There was a low clicking as a cell door opened and then closed once again. A thick, muscular man came into view as he walked towards Levy's cadge. Fear pumped through her veins as she saw him draw closer but she hung onto the relief that Lucy's screams had stopped. "Let us go! You'll regret this!"

"I don't think so," he laughed as he brushed his chin-length black locks out of his face and opened the cell door. He stepped into Levy's prison lightly, as if attempting to tease her. However when she didn't react he stabbed out with his stick, sending a concentrated voltage of magic through the prodder and electrocuted her.

She screamed out, her body jerking as violent spasms attacked her muscles. She attempted to wiggle away, to break free from the chains but her effort was pointless. Her body jumped away from the prodder but he stabbed her with it again, earning another shriek as his magic violated her body and left a burn on her side.

"N-no… Levy…" She heard Lucy's weak voice and quickly bit down on her voice as she tried to contain the unconsented jerks of her muscles.

"Tut, tut, tut," the man shook his head as his green eyes locked on hers. He licked his lips as he eyed her, it made her skin crawl as he looked her up and down.

_I don't want to be seen by him! Not this man… He's not Gajeel… _

The man tormented her body as he threatened to send another wave of pain through her, brushing the cold metal prodder up and down her leg. She flinched away from the touch but he paid it no heed and continued to caress her with his magical tool until finally he stabbed the inside of her thigh with it. This time she didn't simply scream, she yelled out for the one person she wanted to see more than anything. "GAJEEL!"

* * *

"_Gajeel!"_

The call was distant and distorted but clear – at least to the ears of a Dragon. "Did you hear that?" Redfox asked as he paused for a moment.

"It sounded like Levy-san," Wendy agreed. And that was all it took, Gajeel stormed off as fast as his legs would allow him. Natsu was at his heels, following him through the thicket of the trees. They jumped over rocks and darted past the many trunks of wood but none of them stopped the two Dragons as they chased after their injured mates.

Only moments passed before they ran out into a clearing. Sat in the middle of the flat land was an old shack, it was dirty and rusty but the two could clearly tell it was the source of the screams. Without fear or care of traps or enemies the two Dragon continued on in a frenzy of rage.

_"No! Please… Stop! Gajeel… Please! H-help… AGHHH!"_ Levy cried. Her voice sounded hoarse and thick with pain which only served to anger the Iron Dragon further.

"LEVY!" He yelled as he barrelled through the front door. Men stood to attention, grabbing at their weapons as some began casting spells and preparing to attack.

"Fire Dragon's Talon!" Natsu yelled as he jumped past and swept the enemies aside. "GO!"

Gajeel didn't argue, he simply shot further into the hideout – he ignored all of the stolen goods which sat around, the food, the wood, the tools, the clothes…. He ran into the next room to find it empty apart from a large pile of lacrama and a hatch which sat in the middle of the floor.

Another scream echoed through the floor that was quickly followed by Lucy's voice yelling out,_ "NO! Stop it! Leave her alone! Don't use that thing on her!"_

Gajeel's eyes widened as his brain processed what he'd heard. Grinding his teeth together he ignored the presence of the hatch and simply broke his way through the floor using his Iron Dragon Sword.

* * *

Throwing aside his electric rod he stepped out of the prison and took a hold of another contraption. It, too, was on a stick, but this had three sharp spikes connected to tubes which protruded from the end. A smug laugh echoed throughout the basement which seemed to drawn out any and all noise coming from above.

"No! Stop it! Leave her alone! Don't use that thing on her!" Lucy shrieked.

Levy stared with wide eyes as the man stepped closer to her, extending his arm as he stabbed the three prongs into her stomach. Levy released an almighty scream which was covered up by the ceiling caving in and much to her surprise Gajeel emerged from the rubble.

"Gajeel?" She gasped in surprise, unable to hold back the tears which stung her eyes. "You… y-you came! You heard my calls…"

Gajeel's eyes didn't waver, they didn't pause to take in the sight of the many other women which were being held captive or to even survey his territory. No, his red eyes remained locked on Levy and her hazel ones. However for a moment they did wander downward and his anger gained the red tint of embarrassment.

"H-hey!" She gasped as she attempted to pull her knees up and hide herself however failed to thanks to a lack of strength. "Don't look!"

"S-sorry." He mumbled.

Their little exchange was interrupted as Levy's capture slapped his hand against her cheek and grabbed a handful of her hair, ripping her head up. "Looks like we've got company, girls."

A low growl emitted from Gajeel as he shifted his sword into a pillar and fired it at the grimy man who had his hand in Levy's blue locks. In a swift movement the man lifted her and slipped behind her against the wall as he flicked a small switch on the metal contraption he had hold of. A weak shriek burst from the Bookworms lips as her back arched and the three leech-like points throbbed, expanding with her magic. "Nuh uh," her capture warned as he stroked her face.

Gajeel stopped his attack, withdrawing the spell and changing his hand back into that of a fist. He couldn't hurt Levy but by not acting that was exactly what he was doing. He could hear Salamander above kicking ass and yet he was just stood there, staring as that perverted man sucked the magic from Levy. "It's so damn frustrating!"

Levy's breath grew into laboured pants as her head dropped. Gajeel could see the bruising on her wrists from where she was being held up by chains and cuffs. Her body had rounded burn marks everywhere, her legs, her stomach, her chest… Lucy wasn't looking much better but Gajeel kept his eyes away from her – she wasn't his to look at. "You're making a big mistake messing with a Dragon's mate," he warned.

"Oh, so this cute little thing is your girlfriend?"

"Are you deaf? I said MATE! It's a lot more than boyfriend and girlfriend, you bastard."

Levy raised her head weakly and looked up at Gajeel with loving eyes, "Gajeel…"

"Shut up!" the man roared as he sucked more power from her. Levy screamed out again, struggling against the restraints. Redfox didn't know much about these things but he knew enough and he knew she couldn't stand having much more magic being stripped from her.

"Levy, it's okay, don't move." He said smoothly, attempting to sound calming and reassuring but really he was just angry. "Now, you're going to get your hands off her!"

"Oh really?" he goaded as his hand trailed down her side. Levy gasped and squirmed away, clearly repulsed by his touch. "Why don't you call out for him again? This is your precious Gajeel, right? I'm sure he'd love to hear you call out for him. Go on…"

"Shut up!" Gajeel stormed forward, unable to contain himself as he reached out with his hand, forming scales on his skin as he grabbed the man's head.

Levy felt the cool brush of his metallic scales as his hand breezed past and grabbed onto her capture's skull. It wasn't vile like his prod had been, it was soothing and felt like balm against her skin. She sagged forward, allowing her forehead to fall against his shoulder. She'd felt the spray of blood as he dug those iron nails into the man's head and yelled, "Iron Dragon's Lance!" But she didn't care. He'd saved her. He'd come when she'd called… He'd called her his mate…

Only semi-conscious Levy felt the grimy man slip away from behind her as Gajeel released him and stroked her head, soothing the hair which had been grabbed and yanked. He broke through her restraints and allowed her to fall against him as he pulled her away from the wall, dropping to the floor in the middle of the prison and held her close.

He yanked the Magic-stealing tool from her stomach, apologizing when she whimpered, and threw it away.

"Gajeel! Lucy!" Natsu's voice called as he jumped down into the dungeon, his eyes alert and his body ready to take on anything that came his way. Redfox had angled himself between Levy and the opening in the ceiling so she was completely shielded from Salamander's view. He extended his arm and pointed over at the blonde Celestial mage.

"Natsu!" She called.

"Lucy!" he ran forward, his eyes filled with a mixture of joy and disgust as he saw her pinned against the wall, covered in scars. "Lucy…"

"I'm okay!" She assured him.

Dragneel nodded his head and melted his way through the barred entrance before dashing to his mate. He broke through the chains without a problem and pulled Lucy close, hugging her tightly and he shielded her from the world.

"Gajeel?" Levy asked weakly.

His red eyes refocused as he pulled her small form closer. She looked dazed and half delirious but he was sure she would make a full recovery – she had to. "Yeah, it's me, Shrimp."

"Thanks for rescuing me…" Her voice was little more than a whisper as she reached up and gently touched his cheek. The Iron Dragon grasped her hand in his and held it there, enjoying her warmth and care.

"Just… Promise me you won't go on a mission without me every again? You're hard to find, you know? Didn't I tell you to stay by my side?"

A thin smile spread out on her face as she gazed up at him. "I will, thanks."

"Yeah," Gajeel leaned over, angling her gently as he pressed his lips to hers.

When he pulled away he was met by a wider and slightly stronger smile. "Who said you could do that?"

"I did," he chuckled. "You're _my_ mate now, I get to kiss you whenever I want."

"Is that so…" she seemed to trail off in thought before her hand gripped a handful of his shirt and she attempted to sit up, reaching for his lips. But thanks to her weak limbs she failed and fell back into his lap.

"Gihihi, what are you trying to do?"

"I was trying to kiss my mate when I wanted to." She pouted.

A smirk captured Gajeel's face as he displayed all of his cockiness in one big gesture. "In that case…" He leaned down once again, moving her up to him as he cupped her cheek and ignored the rest of the world as he gave her another tentative kiss.

"I really am useless without you, aren't I, Gajeel?"

"Actually," he chuckled to himself. "I think I'm a little useless without you."

* * *

**_A/N: Okay, so there will be one more chapter in this short story which I will post as soon as I've actually finished it. I'd like to say a big THANK YOU to all of the wonderful people who left such kind reviews on this story, it really means a lot to me!_**

_Writers live for their reviews!_


	5. A Tale of Return

**A Fairy Tail Fanfic: A Mate's Spell.**

**Chapter five: A Tale of Return.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or any of its wonderful characters, I only own the rights to this story.**

* * *

The others arrived as quickly as they could. When they stepped into the warehouse Natsu was still beating up the bandits, punching out his rage. Gray and Juvia stepped in and relieved the Fire Dragon, allowing him to run to his captured mate. The remaining men fell with ease and the Ice mage locked them in a chilly prison so they couldn't escape.

"I'll go and see if they need help!" Wendy said as she walked into the other room where the floor had been demolished, followed by Carla and Lily. Happy stayed with Gray, almost afraid to see Lucy in a weakened state.

Gray didn't protest but Juvia looked worried and thought aloud, "Is that a good idea? Juvia remembers Carla talking about them being tortured… If Gajeel saw that he would surely…" Her voice trailed off but Gray knew what she meant. Redfox was sure to kill the enemy.

"Wendy, wait!" He yelled but was too late because he heard the young girl cry out, sobbing over the horrific sight. Her brown eyes were locked on the bloody form which lay before Gajeel and Levy – but not only that, people were strung up like dolls, naked and harmed.

"Kid, get out of here!" Gajeel ordered as he kept himself between Levy and Wendy's young eyes.

"Wendy!" Lily was the one to grab her collar and lift her out of the basement, carrying her away from the scene. Carla hovered for a moment, staring with wide eyes until Lily returned and guided her out.

Once the Dragons had satisfied themselves holding their women in their arms they carried them out of the dank dungeon and took them out of the rusty shed, laying them on the soft ground with a blanket over their bare bodies. Wendy got to work healing them while Gray and Juvia released the other captives, giving them food and water as well as clothing from the stolen supplies. The others had been injured but not as recent as the two mages so they happily passed on a healing session.

Black Steel and Salamander stuck to Levy and Lucy's sides, not willing to leave them for a moment. Lucy continued to reassure Natsu that she was okay, that all was well, and in his own childish way he clung to the words with great comfort and also great sorrow for fear that she felt she must be strong simply for him. Levy was much too weak to talk any so Gajeel was the one to do the comforting, stroking her blue locks while Wendy worked on her and as soon as the young Sky Dragon had finished he hugged her close, pressing his forehead to hers.

After Gray and Juvia got the rest of the captives organised they began planning their way back to Clover Town.

"I doubt they could walk all that way," said Wendy.

"Juvia agrees," the Water Mage's eyes slowly tore from Gray before resting on the small cluster of ten women which were leaning against the surrounding trees, as far away from the shack as they could possibly get. "They are much too weak for such a journey. Perhaps Juvia and Gray-sama should go on ahead and get help?" Gajeel could see the glee in her eyes at the thought of being along with her cold crush.

"No," Salamander cut in before Gray could protest. "Luc and Levy need to get out of here, even with Wendy's healing they're weak and need to be cared for. We should get them back to the guild as soon as possible."

The two male Dragons shared a brief look, nodded to each other and came to an unspoken agreement. "We'll take the girls back to town with Wendy. Once we make sure people are coming to help we'll get them back to Fairy Tail and the kid can lead them back here."

Juvia wasn't at all displeased by such a plan.

"But Natsu…" Happy cut in as he padded over from beside Carla and rested his paw on the Fire Dragon's arm. "We should fly them back, we can move a lot quicker…" Lily glided over from where the women were framing the small opening and nodded his agreement.

"Urm, actually… I think Natsu-san and Gajeel-san are right," Wendy said with a small fidget. "I've healed them enough and restored their strength so they're out of danger but Lucy-san and Levy-san would be more comfortable being carried by them."

The three felines looked to her and then slowly consented since she was the healer of the group. "It's settled then, stay here and we'll get going. We can still get some ground covered before dark." Gajeel said as he slipped his arms under Levy's unconscious body, tensing his muscles as he lifted her slender frame and tucked her close to his chest. "Lily, stay here with Juvia and Gray."

"Right!"

With Happy's help Salamander lifted Lucy onto his back and the three Dragons got moving along with the two Exceeds. They quickly slipped out of the clearing and into the thick sea of trees. "Good luck!" called Juvia from behind them. From the corner of his eye Gajeel could see Wendy's concerned gaze drifting between her two patients but he tried not to get too distracted for fear that he would lose his sanity.

* * *

The time passed too quickly for any of the mages' liking and they failed to cover much ground. Thanks to the severity of their wounds Levy and Lucy couldn't stand to go too quickly, even when being carried, Levy especially seemed to struggle to regain any strength. The blonde celestial mage regained consciousness every hour or so and would ask how her bookworm friend was but the answer was always the same - no change. Not once did the Shrimp awaken since drifting into her sleeping state.

Gajeel grew concerned and as darkness fell he desperately wished to continue. "I need to get her back."

"We can't travel in the dark," Wendy protested, "We'll fall over rocks and roots which will only hurt Levy more."

"She's right," Carla added.

Gently Natsu slipped Lucy from his back and laid her down on a bed of moss. "I don't like it any more than you do, Gajeel, but we don't have a choice."

Redfox ground his teeth and clutched Levy tighter to him, disliking the sense of helplessness which captivated his heart as he gazed at her limp body. "Wendy, can you heal her some more?" he asked in a whisper. "She feels like she's getting weaker... not stronger."

With a concerned look the young Dragon nodded, her hair flicking about in the gentle breeze as she clenched her fist and hardened her eyes into a deep gaze of determination. "Of course, anything I can do!" Gajeel smiled gently at that, he was pleased to see her working so hard and how strong she'd become. Slowly and tenderly the Iron Dragon laid his mate down and stroked her hair back so her smooth forehead was visible. Her skin had become thick with sweat and her temperature had risen a great deal since leaving the rusty shed.

The Exceeds began floating around in the night and quickly gathered some stray wood and Natsu swiftly got a campfire lit while he tended to his girlfriend.

Wendy fell to her knees to the Shrimp's right and tentatively placed her hands over her injured form. A moment passed before she flinched back and stared with wide eyes. Gajeel's eyes flicked between the two girls as he leaned forward. "What is it? Kid!" He reached forward and firmly grasped her slender shoulder being sure not to harm her he shook the healer's body, but even that failed to snap her from her surprise.

"What happened?" Carla asked as she flapped over and landed to her Dragon's side. "Wendy, what's wrong?"

Wendy ignored them as her eyes remained locked on Levy. With shaking hands the young girl reached out and pulled the loose shirt up to expose the teenager's stomach. It was then that Gajeel felt his chest constrict. Where the three prongs had stabbed her skin were thick, black, pulsing veins which throbbed outward into her body while the small rings of punctured flesh had expanded with blood and become crusted bubbles. "What the hell's happening?" Gajeel gasped as his red eyes locked on the grotesque sight. "What did that thing do to her?!"

Wendy's fingers cautiously traced the strong black lines which ran from Levy's bellybutton to her sides and under her clothing. "It's poisoning her," she whispered. "Her magical energy is still leaking out and it's poisoning her to do so."

"No!" Gajeel growled. _That bastard! I should have done more than kill him! I should have ripped his..._

"Gajeel!" Natsu strode over filled with confidence and strength. "Keep it together, getting worked up won't help Levy."

"Heh, that doesn't sound like the Salamander I know." He spat as he tried to regain his self-control. Dragneel was right - he couldn't lose himself to anger. He had to remain calm and think his way through the matter at hand. _Think... I have to save Levy..._ "Wendy, can you stop this?"

She shook her head as her brown eyes focused on his. "It's too far into the bloodstream... I'm sorry, I should have noticed it before..."

"No!" he snapped. "It's not your fault, you healed the wounds you knew about. You're no use if you're too busy blaming yourself so don't go there."

"Gajeel!" Carla protested but Wendy quietened her.

"Salamander, we have to keep going!" Natsu nodded his understanding. Without allowing the others time to complain Black Steel Gajeel scooped up his dying mate and stormed through the forest beside the Flame Brain who lit the way.

* * *

Wendy followed behind her fellow Dragon Slayers in haste, she didn't wish to be left behind and she knew if she was to be of any help it would be to the two injured mages. Happy and Carla stayed with her, flying by her side and lifting her over any large rocks which blocked her way. The young girl couldn't help but feel envious of the love Levy and Lucy received from Gajeel and Natsu. It was such an honest emotion that it was almost tangible in the air as they held their dear ones close. Even though she was young and perhaps a little foolish she hoped that one day a man would care for her the way those two cared for their mates.

However a single person drifted into her mind as she had such thoughts… His left shoulder which displayed his red Fairy Tail mark was shown with pride in her image, raven, slightly spiked hair covered his forehead in decorative bangs, his orange scarf was tucked around his neck as normal - just like his idol's white one. His trained muscles and deep eyes…

_Romeo…_

As she became lost in her own world the Sky Dragon met the earth with a strong _Thud!_ "Wendy!" The white feline gasped.

"Are you alright, Wendy?" Happy asked in a calmer tone as he grasped the back of her jacket and lifted her to her feet.

She nodded, suddenly glad for the lack of light since it helped to hide her bright cheeks. "I-I'm fine!" She stumbled forward, attempting to act normal. She'd never thought of Romeo in such a way before, of course, she'd noticed the undeniable change in his physique and maturity in her seven years of absence. But was that really enough to get over the fact that he was technically her junior by several years?

Ever since arriving at Fairy Tail she'd enjoyed his company and often thought him a kind person but he'd grown and had begun to blossom into a young man which made Wendy wonder if there could ever be more between them than friendship. Her cheeks grew redder at such thinking, was she really in her right mind or was she just overcome with a desire to feel loved? _No, this isn't the time!_

She shook her head, denying herself the right to have such ideas when her teammates' lives were on the line. She strode forward, focusing especially hard on every step as she picked up speed, relying heavily on her nose to follow Natsu and Gajeel's scent. Since it was so dark she'd lost sight of them already. Even though her eyes were better than most, with a dim moon and no stars in the sky it was impossible to see clearly.

After a few minutes she was able to gain ground and was once again only strides behind her fellow Dragon Slayers. The two cats remained by her side, seemingly refusing to leave her to be alone. She smiled at that, glad for the care of her friends. Even though Wendy was still able to continue she could feel the fatigue clawing at her strength with each passing step. She'd already done three healing sessions and spent all day traveling, fighting and generally being on alert. She could feel her power draining but she didn't dare inform the others. She didn't wish to appear weak or hinder them any, especially after her mistake had put Levy's life in danger.

* * *

They walked all the way through the night only pausing twice for Wendy to check and assist the two female teenagers. Gajeel could see how tired the young Dragon was and felt nothing but gratitude that she battled through her lack of strength to help them. When the sun rose above the horizon and allowed its lazy morning rays to dance on the earth's surface they sighted Clover Town's border.

"We'll fly Wendy on ahead," Carla said in her usual matter of fact tone. "We shall ask them to get transportation available for you as soon as you arrive."

Gajeel and Natsu agreed and waved them off as the two cats carried the young Sky Dragon by her jacket and flew her into the distance. The two men continued to walk, shifting their mates around when their muscles began to ache but never stopped until they were well into Clover Town. Waiting for them was a tired Wendy along with the two Exceeds.

"Over here!" Called Wendy. In the light it was easy to see the dark circles which had begun to form under her eyes.

Slamander stepped ahead and began talking to Happy about what to do before he walked back over to Gajeel who was heading straight for the train station. "Happy says they've set up a train just for us, direct to Magnolia Town! We should be there in an hour, maybe two."

Redfox wasn't thrilled at the thought of enduring motion sickness but he thought it a small price to pay for getting Levy home. The two Dragons wasted no time and boarded the train, hugging onto their stomachs as soon as it began to move. Wendy waved goodbye along with Carla and Happy before heading back towards the forest and gathering citizans who were going to help them with the captured women.

The train went none stop for an hour and forty minutes, carrying the four mages all the way to Magnolia. Shakily Gajeel carried Levy from the mobile and then dropped to the floor, gasping for air and strength. Natsu followed him but the Fire Dragon Slayer was no longer strong enough to carry his mate, in stead he was dragging her along behind him like a sake of potatoes.

"Natsu? Gajeel? Is that you?"

Redfox looked up slowly as he clung to Levy with weak arms and struggled not to heave. Before him stood Fairy Tail's strongest woman, Titania, surrounded by luggage. Her red hair was as straight as ever and she stood tall, proudly displaying her toned, muscular form.

"What are you two doing here?" Then her eyes fell to the women... "Lucy! Levy!" She gasped as she released her hold on the large trailor and fell to her knees, examining them. "We need to get them to Polyushka!"

Gajeel nodded his head as he sucked in another lungful of clean air, looking over his shoulder to Natsu who had passed out. "Get... Lucy... I can carry... Levy."

"Are you sure?" She asked sternly. He simply nodded as he returned to his feet. "What about Natsu?" She asked even though she was already lifting Lucy onto her back.

"Leave that... idiot. He's not even strong enough to protect... his mate." The Iron Dragon panted as he slowly began to move forward.

Erza paused a moment before following. "I suppose you're right, I shall return to him as soon as these two are tended to." The two carefully carried the injured mages out of the Train station and out into the street of Magnolia, home to the Fairy Tail guild. After a short while the S-class couldn't contain her curiosity. "What happened to these two? Did you four take a job while I was away."

"No," answered Gajeel. With each step he was recovering from the motion sickness and growing stronger. "These two took one alone, they got beaten up and captured but Carla had a vision about it so me, Natsu, Wendy, Gray and Juvia went to save them. When we got there they were already like this."

Her anger was clear as the early sky but Titania still tried to contain her rage. "And what of their captures?"

"Dead or locked in ice," was the flat reply.

The two remained in silence for the remains of their trip through Magnolia, out into the outskirts and deeper still until they reached the surrounding forest where the healer worked. They were greeted with the standard hate for humans however Gajeel wasn't in the mood to listen and quickly thrust Levy upon the pink haired woman, demanding she do her best to heal the bookworm. So, on the terms that the healthy remain outside and remain silent, she agreed to heal the girls.

From there time passed too slowly for Redfox. Each second was painful as he waited to hear something, anything, of his mate's condition. Erza remained silent in order to honor their agreement and also in respect to the suffering Dragon. She could see the pain in his eyes as he worried over the bookworm, his bookworm... Dreading a negative outcome.

_Don't die on me, Levy. I didn't even get to tell you... that I... I love you, STUPID SHRIMP!_

* * *

Natsu awoke with his face pressed against the cool floor of Magnolia's train station. He sat up slowly, groggily rubbing at his eyes and lips as he examined his surroundings. He couldn't remember much, least of all falling unconscious, but he remembered why he was there and the torturous means he'd taken to get there. "Lucy!" His eyes darted around again but all he found was a neatly stacked mound of suitcases which were strapped onto the familiar trolly. _That's Erza's!_

With a twitch of his nose the Dragon quickly caught the armoured mage's scent along with Gajeel's, Levy's and the most imporant person's - Lucy's. _If Erza's with them I don't have anything to worry about! She won't let anything happen._ However that didn't stop his gut from knotting and his chest from aching with unease. With a low grumble her got to his feet and ran out of the station, trolly in tow. He knew full well if he simply left it there Erza would kill him.

The journey was swift, only proving troublesome when Erza's luggage prevented the Dragon from darting swiftly between trees. After a mile or so of forest Natsu gave up and abandoned it, making sure to memorize the surroundings so he could find it again later, before continuing on down the trail after the scent of his Guild mates.

When he arrived at the treehouse where Porlyusica lived his fellow Dragon Slayer, Gajeel Redfox, and Titania, Erza Scarlet, sat waiting with lowered heads. "Hey!" he called as he ran over. "What's going on? Where are the girls?"

"Inside." Gajeel snapped, "Where else would they be?!"

"Well, how was I supposed to know?"

"Use your stinking head, idiot!"

"I did, that's why I asked!" Natsu retorted.

Gajeel scoffed. "It didn't sound like you were using your head to me, but then again... I wouldn't know what that looks like since I've never seen you use it."

"Why you...!"

"Natsu!" Lucy's voice cut into their bickering before Erza could as she slammed the door open, a wide smile on her battered face.

"Lucy?" he asked as he turned to see her, a grin pulling at his lips. "Lucy!" He ran forward and hugged her tightly, burying his face in her soft hair and familiar scent.

Gajeel jumped to his feet, pushing passed the happy couple to see the pink haired woman hovering in the middle of the room with her eternally grumpy expression. "You weren't quiet, stinking humans!" With a gentle snort she stepped aside and revealed the quickly recovering Levy McGarden sat up in bed.

"Levy!" Gajeel shot forward, his eyes focused soley on her as he fell to his knees and hugged her to him, his arms holding her securely around the waist. "You're okay... You're really okay...! You idiot, why did you do something so reckless? That bastard could have killed you!"

Erza watched in the background with a smile, glad to see the joy on her comrades' faces as they embraced the people they loved most of all. She couldn't help but think of Jellal and how much she wished to share such raw emotions with him.

Levy simply smiled as she reached down and stroked Gajeel's black mane, remembering his words. _"Are you deaf? I said MATE! It's a lot more than boyfriend and girlfriend, you bastard." _The memory of his surprisingly soft lips came to mind, too. Her weak hand shifted and cupped his cheek, tilting his head back to look at her. She could see the anger, worry and also fear thick within their red depths. "I'm sorry I scared you like that," she said gently as she closed the distance between them. "But... I'm glad you came for me. Thank you, Gajeel."

Their lips met for a tentative moment before they pulled back and shared a short look. Gajeel shifted his weight and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close to him for another kiss, however before their lips touched he gently whispered the one thing he'd wanted to say for too long. "I love you, Levy. Will you be mine?"

Levy answered with a kiss and they quickly forgot about their surrounding friends.

* * *

_**A/N: Ta da! Hope you enjoyed it~ I know the Wendy section was a little unnecessary but I was trying to show how strong a Dragon's love is and how it affects those around them. I hope that makes sense and showed in the story!**_

_**Thanks again to all the amazing people who have followed this short fanfic and said such wonderful things about it. I love you all!**_

_****__**Note: Sorry for any mistakes, I was rushing a little to finish this chapter so I haven't done any read throughs yet. When I have more time I will go through and clean up the full thing!**_

_Writers live for their reviews~_


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